title: Management of undescended testis: a decision analysis.
abstract: Undescended testis (UDT) or cryptorchidism is the most common genital anomaly seen in boys and can be treated surgically by orchidopexy. The age at which orchidopexy should be performed is controversial for both congenital and acquired UDT.
  
  
  
  A decision analysis is performed in which all available knowledge is combined to assess the outcomes of orchidopexy at different ages.
  
  
  
  Without surgery, unilateral congenital UDT and bilateral congenital UDT are associated with average losses in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of 1.53 QALYs (3% discounting 0.66 QALYs) and 5.23 QALYs (1.91 QALYs), respectively. Surgery reduces this QALY loss to on average 0.84 QALYs (0.21 QALYs) for unilateral UDT and 1.66 QALYs (0.40 QALYs) for bilateral UDT. Surgery at detection will lead to the lowest QALY loss of 0.91 (0.34) and 1.73 (0.60) QALYs, respectively, for unilateral and bilateral acquired UDT compared with surgery during puberty and no surgery. No sensitivity analysis is able to change the preferences for these strategies.
  
  
  
  Based on our decision analytic model using societal valuations of health outcomes, surgery for unilateral UDT (both congenital and acquired) yielded the lowest loss in QALYs. Given the modest differences in outcomes, there is room for patient (or parent) preference with respect to the performance and timing of surgery in case of unilateral UDT. For bilateral UDT (both congenital and acquired), orchidopexy at any age provides considerable benefit, in particular through improved fertility. As there is no strong effect of timing, the age at which orchidopexy is performed should be discussed with the parents and the patient. More clinical evidence on issues related to timing may in the future modify these results and hence this advice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Decision Making, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands (MEVDAM, JK).
authors.forename: M Elske
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: van den Akker-van Marle
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, Leiden/Utrecht, The Netherlands (MK, HBMVG, FHP)|Youth Health Care South Holland West (GGD-ZHW), Zoetermeer, The Netherlands (MK)
authors.forename: Mascha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamphuis
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, Leiden/Utrecht, The Netherlands (MK, HBMVG, FHP)
authors.forename: Helma B M
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: van Gameren-Oosterom
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, Leiden/Utrecht, The Netherlands (MK, HBMVG, FHP)
authors.forename: Frank H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Pierik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Decision Making, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands (MEVDAM, JK).
authors.forename: Job
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kievit
mesh_terms: D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000601:surgery*; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years
keywords: cryptorchidism; decision analysis; orchidopexy